Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Learn about real science while making fun of pseudoscience. Today Astra chats with Dr. James Lasker about Dark Energy, mapping the universe, Amateur Astronomy, claims that "Einstein was a fool" from commenters, Pluto's planetary status, and whether Astra's dog (Cecilia Payne) deserves a Nobel Prize. Come to learn about how Astronomers figure out how far away things are, what Dark Energy isn't and what it might be, advice for high school and college students who want to become astronomers, amateur astronomy and citizen science YOU can get involved in, and some of the hilarious pseudoscience "theories" James and Astra have been presented with.
*Disclaimer: During the time James captained the Little Bingo intramural softball team, Astra was the team's pitcher. They are friends.
Galaxy Zoo/Zooniverse: zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo
Further Reading on DESI: astro.dur.ac.uk/ripples/Day45/DESI_Durham_26jul2013.pdf
Join our patreon! Patreon.com/badastra
Follow us on other social media platforms:
Tiktok: BadAstraOfficial
Twitter: @BadAstraChannel
Instagram: bad_astra
Onlyfans: (just kidding)
Thank you to Gail Gallagher for our theme music! gailgallaghermusic.com
Credits Remix by Quantopix: whyrecord.com/artist/Quantopix
Image Sources:
Hubble Telescope: nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/story/index.html
DESI: winlight-system.com/first-light-for-the-dark-energy-spectroscopic-instrument-desi
Absorption Lines: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180926.html
Redshift: https://physics.uiowa.edu/itu/labs/astronomical-redshift
Doppler Effect: flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-is-the-doppler-effect
Type 1a Supernova: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11641
Supernova outshining galaxy: hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2003/12/1327-Image.html
Quasar: livescience.com/quasar-tsunamis-kill-star-formation.html
Redshift to Lookback time calculator: http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/CosmoCalc.html
Starburst (Emission-Line) Galaxy: eso.org/public/images/eso0627a
Oxygen emission doublet: http://mosdef.astro.berkeley.edu/for-the-public/public/physical-properties/
Luminous Red Galaxy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_Horseshoe
4000 Angstrom Break: astro.dur.ac.uk/ripples/Day45/DESI_Durham_26jul2013.pdf
Bright Galaxies: phys.org/news/2021-01-desi-legacy-imaging-surveys-issued.html
Supernova 2014J: constellation-guide.com/supernova-sn-2014j
Learn about real science while making fun of pseudoscience. Today Astra chats with Dr. James Lasker about Dark Energy, mapping the universe, Amateur Astronomy, claims that "Einstein was a fool" from commenters, Pluto's planetary status, and whether Astra's dog (Cecilia Payne) deserves a Nobel Prize. Come to learn about how Astronomers figure out how far away things are, what Dark Energy isn't and what it might be, advice for high school and college students who want to become astronomers, amateur astronomy and citizen science YOU can get involved in, and some of the hilarious pseudoscience "theories" James and Astra have been presented with.
*Disclaimer: During the time James captained the Little Bingo intramural softball team, Astra was the team's pitcher. They are friends.
Galaxy Zoo/Zooniverse: zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo
Further Reading on DESI: astro.dur.ac.uk/ripples/Day45/DESI_Durham_26jul2013.pdf
Join our patreon! Patreon.com/badastra
Follow us on other social media platforms:
Tiktok: BadAstraOfficial
Twitter: @BadAstraChannel
Instagram: bad_astra
Onlyfans: (just kidding)
Thank you to Gail Gallagher for our theme music! gailgallaghermusic.com
Credits Remix by Quantopix: whyrecord.com/artist/Quantopix
Image Sources:
Hubble Telescope: nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/story/index.html
DESI: winlight-system.com/first-light-for-the-dark-energy-spectroscopic-instrument-desi
Absorption Lines: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180926.html
Redshift: https://physics.uiowa.edu/itu/labs/astronomical-redshift
Doppler Effect: flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-is-the-doppler-effect
Type 1a Supernova: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11641
Supernova outshining galaxy: hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2003/12/1327-Image.html
Quasar: livescience.com/quasar-tsunamis-kill-star-formation.html
Redshift to Lookback time calculator: http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/CosmoCalc.html
Starburst (Emission-Line) Galaxy: eso.org/public/images/eso0627a
Oxygen emission doublet: http://mosdef.astro.berkeley.edu/for-the-public/public/physical-properties/
Luminous Red Galaxy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_Horseshoe
4000 Angstrom Break: astro.dur.ac.uk/ripples/Day45/DESI_Durham_26jul2013.pdf
Bright Galaxies: phys.org/news/2021-01-desi-legacy-imaging-surveys-issued.html
Supernova 2014J: constellation-guide.com/supernova-sn-2014j
